Every idea below starts with a product you can design online and order in the quantity you need. Here are a few popular options to consider.
Why Packaging Matters More During the Holidays
Holiday shoppers order more, compare more, and post more. A generic box blends into every other carton on the porch that week.
A package with even one small seasonal decal signals that a real business with a real point of view packed it. That perception carries weight when a customer decides whether to order again in January.
A few reasons this pays off beyond the holidays themselves:
- Higher order volume means more impressions. Every extra holiday order is a free chance to put your branding in front of someone new.
- Unboxing content is everywhere. A distinctive decal or label is one of the easiest ways to land in a customer's social post without asking.
- Seasonal design work isn't wasted. A holiday decal or label template can be reskinned for the next season instead of designed from scratch every year.
Say Thanks with a Holiday Decal
A thank-you decal is the simplest holiday upgrade. It tells the customer you noticed them, not just their order number.
Custom vinyl decals start at 2 inches, so they add to a bag, box, or tissue paper without adding bulk or much cost. Print a seasonal phrase, a snowflake or holly motif, or just your logo in a festive color. If you're unsure which surface look fits your brand, this guide on choosing the right decal finish breaks down matte, gloss, and clear.
Decals.com vinyl decals are weather-resistant and waterproof, so they hold up even if a package sits on a porch for a day before it's brought in.
Where a Thank-You Decal Works Best
Thank-you decals fit almost anywhere in the packing process:
- Box and mailer flaps. A decal across the seam doubles as a branded seal.
- Tissue paper. One decal tucked on top of the product is the first thing customers see when they open the box.
- Gift bags and gift boxes. An exterior decal makes a plain bag look intentional.
- Handwritten cards. A small decal on a thank-you note adds a branded finish to a personal touch.
- Holiday markets and pop-ups. Hand one out with every purchase so the customer leaves with your logo.
Decorate the Outside of the Package
The outside of the box is the first thing a customer sees, so treat it as part of the gift.
Custom box labels are built for this. They run from 2" x 2" up to 50" x 120", so they fit anything from a small mailer to a full shipping carton, and they come in matte or gloss. Choose removable material for lower tack or permanent for a stronger hold. A holiday box label with your logo and a wintery accent color turns plain cardboard into branding before the recipient even opens it.
If you want something you can swap out after the holidays, window clings work well for storefront displays and pickup counters. They're printed on 4 mil low-tack vinyl in clear or white, and they remove cleanly and reposition multiple times once the season wraps up.
Popular Uses for Exterior Box Labels
Box labels earn their spot in several holiday workflows:
- Branded shipping boxes. Add your logo and a seasonal color palette to every outgoing order.
- Handling and gift notes. Print instructions like "Fragile" or "Do Not Open Until December 25."
- Subscription boxes. Mark a limited-run holiday box with its own design.
- Local pickup and curbside orders. Make pickup orders easy to spot during a busy in-store season.
- Bakery and candle boxes. Wrap retail packaging in a cohesive seasonal look.
Add a Seasonal Decal Inside the Box
The unboxing moment matters as much as the outside of the package. A small seasonal decal tucked inside gives customers something they might save or repost.
Sticker sheets make this easy. Each sheet holds multiple copies of one design on a single backing, so you can peel and pack quickly instead of sorting loose individual decals. They come in circle, oval, rectangle, square, and fully custom shapes.
Sticker sheets are commonly used for packaging inserts, event merchandise, and retail add-ons, so they scale whether you pack ten holiday orders a day or a few hundred. If you want a logo decal and a seasonal decal in the same box, order a sheet for each design.
What to Include in an Interior Decal Design
Pick one or two of these elements per design so the decal stays readable at small sizes:
- Your logo. Size it small enough to fit on a laptop or notebook.
- A seasonal graphic. A holly sprig, snowflake, or gift box icon reads well at 2 to 3 inches.
- A thank-you message. Even "Happy holidays from our shop" is enough.
- A social handle or website. It turns the decal into a quiet marketing touch.
- A QR code. Point customers to a review page or loyalty program.
Update Your Product and Package Labels for the Season
A limited-run holiday label signals that a product is seasonal without redesigning your whole line.
If you sell candles, lip gloss, hand sanitizer, or packaged food gifts, custom product labels are the simplest swap. They come in 2" x 2" up to 8" x 8", in matte or gloss, with a minimum order of one label. They stick best to clean, smooth, non-porous surfaces like glass and most plastics.
For higher volumes, like a bakery labeling gift boxes or a beverage company bottling a seasonal batch, roll labels are worth a look. Rolls are easier to apply by hand or with a dispenser when you're labeling in bulk, which matters when the holiday order queue is long.
Choosing the Right Roll Label Material
Decals.com offers three roll label materials:
- Paper roll labels. An economical choice for indoor packaging and promotional labels where cost matters most.
- Waterproof roll labels. They hold up to moisture, refrigeration, and oils, which suits food, beverage, and bath products.
- Clear roll labels. They create a no-label look that lets the product show through, popular for cosmetics, beverages, and specialty foods.
Build a Holiday Collection
Instead of one holiday design, consider a small seasonal collection. Customers who missed one holiday often come back for the next.
A Christmas version, a Hanukkah version, a general winter version, and a New Year's design give you something fresh to promote across email or social media each week of December.
Christmas decals and Halloween decals are both fully customizable, so the template you build for one season can be reworked for the next with a new palette and graphic. If gift-giving is part of your business, pair a seasonal decal with matching gift labels, available from 2 to 8 inches, to keep the look consistent from the shipping box down to the wrapped item inside.
A Simple Way to Plan a Collection
Use one framework and change only what needs to change:
- Start with one base template. Reuse the same shape, font, and logo placement across every holiday design.
- Rotate the color and graphic. Swap the palette and central image for each occasion instead of starting over.
- Test small batches. Order a short run of each design first, then reorder whichever performs best.
- Keep an evergreen design in rotation. One year-round thank-you decal fills gaps between seasonal runs.
Make Branded Packaging Part of Your Holiday Strategy
None of this needs to be complicated. A cohesive holiday packaging plan is a handful of decisions made once and reused all season.
That usually means one decal for the outside of the box, one for the inside, a label for the product itself, and a set of gift labels for anything wrapped by hand. Small businesses that treat packaging as part of the customer experience tend to see it show up in repeat orders and social shares during the busiest weeks of the year.
Holiday Packaging Checklist Before Ordering
Run through this list before the rush hits:
- Pick your touchpoints. Decide which one or two matter most for your product, whether that's the exterior box, an interior decal, or the product label.
- See the material first. Request a sample packet before a full production run so you can feel the vinyl in person.
- Leave time for a proof. Decals.com sends a free artwork proof, and production time starts after you approve it.
- Plan production plus shipping. Production runs 1 to 5 business days, and UPS Ground typically adds 2 to 4 business days to most of the U.S.
- Set a reorder point. Know when to reorder your best-selling design so you don't run out mid-December.
Ready to start? Browse the full Decals.com Holiday page for seasonal decals, gift labels, and packaging options, or request a custom quote for sizes, quantities, or materials outside the standard options.